BANCROFT, Ont. (Nov. 21/2001) - Canada's final performance car rally
of 2001, the Tall Pines in Ontario on Saturday (Nov. 24), promises
to be a showdown between newly-crowned national champion Tom McGeer
and long-time rival Frank Sprongl, making his last appearance in his
record-breaking Audi Quattro S2.

McGeer, 41, of Georgetown, Ont., clinched this year's Subaru Canadian
Rally Championship, presented by Yokohama, earlier this month when he
won the Rallye International de Charlevoix in Quebec. It was his fifth
win in seven starts in 2001 in his Subaru Impreza WRX and gave him his
fifth national driving title.

Sprongl, 34, of Mississauga, Ont., is a six-time Canadian champion, but
has made few appearances the past two years due to engine problems on
his ageing Audi. Those difficulties appear to be over - he won last time
out at the Rally of the Voyageurs - but he still plans to retire the car
after the Tall Pines.

Although Sprongl won the Voyageurs in September, it was a close-fought
contest with McGeer until the latter suffered mechanical woes in the
final stages. The new champion is looking forward to the resumption of
their duel in Saturday's rally, which runs out of Bancroft, Ont.

"I think it will be a heck of an event and a good fight with Frank.
We'll pick up where we left off at Voyageurs," said McGeer, who won
last year's Tall Pines (while Sprongl was absent). He will have Mark
Williams as his navigator.

The event will be bittersweet for Sprongl and his navigator, younger
brother Dan, knowing that at the end of it, they will be parking their
Audi for the last time. The car has won a record 30 Canadian rallies
since its 1993 debut.

"I can't think of a more fitting final event than the Tall
Pines," said Frank Sprongl, who has won this rally a record seven
times, including six in a row from 1994 to 1999. This will be the car's
third Canadian appearance of 2001.

"We'd planned to make last year's Pines, but the motor was still in
Europe [being rebuilt] and we never got to make the farewell tour. So
we're [making] a few final appearances this season. The Audi still has
what it takes to mix it up with the new cars when the going gets tough.
And Pines is always tough."

Indeed, many regard the Tall Pines as the trickiest rally in Canada.
There is usually enough snow and ice to make the roads slick, but not
yet any snowbanks to absorb the impact if a car spins out. "Winter
roads, summer ditches," is a common description of the event,
although rain is forecast this weekend.

Forty-six cars are entered for this 31st edition of the Tall Pines,
which will start from the Bancroft Seniors' Club at 9.30 a.m. on
Saturday.

The first of 12 special stages - the competitive portions of the event
held on roads temporarily closed to the public - will take place at
Tait Farm, just outside of town, before competitors head east to gravel
forestry roads.

The teams will cover a total distance of 427 kms. during the day -
including 200 kms. of special stages - before returning to Bancroft at
about 10 p.m.

While McGeer has clinched the Canadian championship, with 100 points
from five wins, there are still still several close contests to be
resolved, including the battle for the overall runner-up spot.

Finally, the North American Rally Cup - which combines results from both
Canada and the U.S. - is still up for grabs. McGeer currently leads the
NARC standings, but Subaru Canada team-mate Richard - who has had better
results in the U.S. - would snatch the title away if he should win this
weekend.